Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-06
WAGNER.
TALK WITH HERR sEIDL-soME RR'
M1NIscEHc1s.
Pscuiisrities Of the Great Composer Hi'
Manner Of conducting-His
Kind Heart.


Anton Seidl, for two seasons musical
conductor at the Metropolitan Opera-
House, will sail for Germany at 10 A.
NJ. to- day on the North German Lloyd
steamer Saale, to enter upon his duties
as conductor at the Court Opera in
Berlin. Last night he gave his last
concert at Steinway Hall. During the
| day at his lodgings in west Thirty-eigbth
street. in the artists room at the hall
in the evening, and for hours after the
concert he was kept Dusy saying fare
well to the host Of friends and admirers
that be leaves behind him. To Tri-
lane reporter who called on him at
noon he said:
"That / leave this country with re-
gret you may well believe. My en-
| tbusiasm has been stirred by the quick
appreciation that the public here have
shown for Wagner's worxs and by the
love for other classic operas which has
sprung from that appreciation. | have
great hopes for the musical future OF
America. The time will come when
musical affairs here will have the same
stability that they now have in Ger
many. The music-loving people are
fast reaching that point of view from
which they will demand only the good
and true in art. Whoever cultivstes
good and true music will always
find support. I do not sur
render the hope, sooner or later, to re-
turn to this country. At present am
bound TO Berlin, but hope, if ever I
DO return, to find the public as willing
to receive me and support me as they
have been during the last two years.
For my friends l leave sincere and
hearty farewells, and hope that the
possible Wiedersehn will be as agree
bic to them as TO me-"
Interrupted by several friendly and
business calls, Herr Seidl, in cOmpli-
ance with the reporters request that he
might continue the "reminiscences Of
Wagner, an instalment of which proved
to be so interesting and instructive o
feature of last Sundays Tribune, spoke
further as follows:
81 would like to add few anecdotes
which illustrate Wagner's traits as a
conductor. On the occasion of his
Berlin concerts in 1875, when he per-
formed fragments from Die GJtter-
dammerung' for the first time ia that
city, very short time was allowed for
the preparations, and it was found re-
cessary to call a rehearsal for a reli-
gious holiday on which no Berlin musi-
clan had ever been known to touch
bis instrument. The men seemed
doubtful. Wagner said : Gentlemen,
then l will return home. At once there
was a unanimous demand for the re-
hoarsal. The harpist was fellow who
was always in financial straits. On the
day OF the general rehearsal he had
been obliged to surrender his harp to an
officer of the law. Now he sat at home
il bis dismantled room and waited for
something to turn up. Wagner paid
bis debts, redeemed the harp, and in
the evening the harpist sat in his place
aud took part in the concert.
Incidents like this might be multi
Piled by the hundreds. Whenever he
went on concert trips or visits to
friends bis presence was always cele-
bIated with serenades, morning con-
ccrts, parades, or banquets. The most
diyerting 'intermezzi generally hap
pened to the conductors of military
bands, for Wagner was generally
honored with performances Of his
own music, with the tempt all
taken wrong. A few years ago
he lodged for some time with his
family in hotel in Dresden, Uis-d-Uis
TO the Hoftheatre. The Flying
Dutchman was in rehearsal one morn
ing, and Wagner seated at his window
heard the chorus at practice. He sent
over messenger with the request that
at night the choruses be sung in tempt
directly opposite TO those taken at the
rehearsal Then. he said, they would
be correct.
"At another time while he was eat
inC at the table dhote very good mill
tary band serenaded him and played
among other things the overture to
'ICr Freischutz.' Wagner endured it
as long as possible, then jumped
through the window in his haste to put
an end TO the torture, and rushed up to
the leader. Where did you get that
temro?' he asked. I've always heard
il so at the opera, rejoined the leader
~ ell, then, listen TO me, said Wagner,
and starting the band over again he con-
duCied it through the overture.
"jn Hamburg, Cologne, in fact
wherever he went, he was the recipient
of these irritating attentions. In Berlin
the late Professor Stern performed the
Faust overture in his honor. The
public applauded vigorously, but Wag-
ner went to the conductors desk, picked
up the baton and begged the musicians
to repeat the overture under his direc-
ton. The public scarcely recognized
the work as the same one they had |
listened to a moment before.
"When he had completed the pre-
lude to 'Parsital he performed it with
al orchestra called for the purpose from
Mcringen fer the pleasure of his wife, |
whose birthday he thus celebrated. |
The King of Bavaria hearing OF this |
called him to Munich and asked for a |
performance there for his benefit. Wag- |
ner acceded to the wish of his |
great patron. The King came from |
his mountain castle and one af- |
ternoon the theatre was locked |
up. the audience-room darkened,
the King sat in his box, and Wagner
the prelude, which had al
ready been studied by the orchestra
The whole thing lasted perhaps half an
hour and the musicians spoke with en-
thusiasm OF the tremendous effect
which his conducting had on the simple
piece of music. After his career as
Hofkapellmeister at Dresden he seldom
conducted entire operas. He anxiously
avoided the intense excitement which
such work entails In the spring Of
1876 he went to Vienna and con-
Quoted the performance of 'Lohengrin
without excisions, for the benefit OF the
pension fund of the Hoftheatre. The
delight of the public was enthusiastic
the newspapers were unanimous in the
opinion that the sixty-year-old Wagner
the thirty-year-old conduct
1rs in youthful freshness, vigor, and
endurance. Even hisgreatest opponent,
Edward Hauslick, ON that occasion